I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fuel containment cover assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fuel containment cover assembly that is formed of a molded skirt having a sealed cover that combines to create an automatic drainage system.
II. Description of the Relevant Art
Fuel containment devices have been developed for the purpose of protecting the environment against pollution of the ground and/or water by the spillage of gasoline in the vicinity of a fill pipe for an underground storage tank for gasoline, diesel fuel or other toxic chemicals.
The fuel containment device sits in the ground and is sealingly connected with the fill pipe unit extending from the underground storage tank. Such units have generally been designed with the goal of preventing fuel from spilling above the fill pipe into the ground water system. Therefore, the emphasis has been on the development of the seal and the relationship of the spill containment device with the ground.
As a result, these previously known spill containment devices have developed peripheral problems, such as spill containment covers failing under the weight of vehicles traveling over them. Specifically, covers tend to crack and break apart or will lift off from the device itself exposing the container to the atmosphere.
A still further disadvantage of these spill containment devices is that the upper area of the device exposed above the ground level has a tendency to support free standing water or snow, thus creating the possibility of ice developing in the container and possibly cracking or breaking it apart. Further, water that is not systematically drained from the fuel containment device may seep into the fuel stored in the ground.